Seeds for the Garden 137 



colored sunken or shriveled areas. Seeds showing such 

 infection should never be planted. 



It has been found that the proper use of hot water, 

 formaldehyde, and the deadly poison, corrosive sub- 

 limate, will often destroy the organisms that are present 

 on or in the seeds. Thus the farmer has learned how to 

 treat the seeds of oats for the smut disease. In much the 

 same way seeds of beans, corn, onions, cucumbers, and 

 beets can be treated for various diseases. 



Seed treatment must be done carefully. In the first 

 place there is danger of injuring the seeds ; then different 

 kinds of diseases require different kinds of treatment; 

 also, we must remember that some of the chemicals 

 used for this work are deadly poisonous to man. Seed 

 treatment is not to be attempted by children unless 

 under the constant supervision of a fully competent 

 person. 



Viability of seeds. When the tiny plant or embryo in 

 the seed begins to grow, we say it " germinates." A 

 seed in which the embryo is alive, so that the seed will 

 germinate, is called " viable." Whether a seed will 

 germinate depends upon (i) the maturity of the seed 

 when collected, (2) the conditions of storage, (3) the age 

 of the seed, and (4) the kind of seed. 



If seeds are ripe when collected and if they are properly 

 cared for, the length of time that those of the principal 

 garden crops will remain viable is as follows : 



2 years sweet corn, onion, parsnip, and salsify. 



3 years bean, parsley, and pea. 



4 years carrot, mustard, pepper, and tomato. 



5 years cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohl-rabi, lettuce, 



